Britain’s press.

It has been claimed that the British read more newspapers than any other people in the western world. More than thirty million copies of newspapers are printed in the country every day.

National newspapers are sold throughout the United Kingdom. They all have their head office is London and are usually classed as either “quality” or “popular” papers. The quality papers (dailies: The Times, Guardian, Daily Telegraph; Sunday papers:Sunday Times, Observer,Sunday Telegraph) aim to inform their readers as widely as possible about national and international news. The popular papers try to attract more general readers, with pictures and sensational stories.

Many big cities have evening papers which give the latest news. London has The EveningStandard.

There are nearly 5000 periodicals published in the United Kingdom. The re are magazine and periodicals for almost every trade profession, sport, hobby or interest. The most important periodicals for more serious readers are: The Economist, which comments on events of international, political or economic interest:The Spectator, journal with conservative news, which publishes articles on many different subjects, including politics;Tribune, containing political articles and sociological reviews;New Society, which has long articles on social matters;New Scientist, which reports on scientific matters in language that non-specialist can understand;Punch, a long-established humorous magazine also has serious articles.The Times publishes separately a weeklyEducational Supplement,Higher Educational Supplement andLiterary Supplement.

The newspapers are considered to be “independent“. Only one national newspaper, The Morning Star, is the official mouthpiece of a political party, the Communist Party of Great Britain. The other papers support a political party, unofficially. The quality papers, theDaily TelegraphandSunday Telegraphsupport the Conservatives. TheDaily MailandDaily Express are usually conservative in sympathy. TheDailyMirrorand theSun support the Labor Party.

One of the most famous highways of the city, Fleet Street is often called the centre of the newspaper industry. It was known in the early 13-th century as Fleet Bridge Street; its west side was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Many famous lanes and streets ran into Fleet Street. The street was noted for its coffee-houses and taverns and for the famous literary men living and working in it. Outstanding among these were Samuel Johnson, Ben Johnson, John Milton, Charles Lamb and Oliver Goldsmith. Among the publications associated with Fleet Street are Punch, the Daily News, the Daily Telegraph, the Evening Standard. During the 18-th and 19-th centuries it became the headquarters of publishers and is still the journalistic street of London.

The street and the immediate area are dominated by the offices of daily and provincial newspapers and all their related associations.

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. How many newspapers are published in Great Britain every day ?

2. What is the difference between the “popular“ papers and the “quality“ papers ?

3. What “popular“ papers are famous in Great Britain ?

4. What do “popular” papers deal with ?

5. Which magazines are for trade profession, sport, hobby or interest ?

6. What kinds of magazine and periodicals are there in Great Britain ?

7. What does “The Times “ publish ?

8. What is the centre of the newspaper industry ?

9. What famous people lived in Fleet Street ?

10. What publications are associated with Fleet Street ?